The life and adventures of James F. O'Connell, the tattooed man

T HE

LIFE AND ADVENTURES

JAMES F. O'CONNELL,

THE TATTOOED MAN,

DURING A RESIDENCE OF ELEVEN YEARS IN NEW
HOLLAND AND THE CAROLINE ISLANDS.

NEW- YORK :
W. APPLEGATE, POINTER, 17 ANN STREET,

1845.

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LIFE AND ADVENTURES

OF

JAMES F. O'COXNELL.

I was born in Dublin, on the 10th of November, 1808. The
first thing I remember of childhood is, being an inmate of a
school at Monaster Evean, about forty miles from Dublin ;
whence myself and two sisters were, one day, forwarded to
Dublin, and shipped to Liverpool, consigned to the landlord of
my father's boarding-house. We arrived in the evening, and
he carried us to the circus. I can recollect, as distinctly as
though it were yesterday, my childish astonishment at what
appeared to me, the magnificence of the building, the glare of
light, the gorgeous tinsel ornaments, and, more than all, the
superhuman feats of the ring. The drolleries of the clown
filled me with a childish delight, which nothing in after years
has paralleled. I thought the riders the most remarkable and
enviable beings I had ever happened upon. Did I inherit this
passion or not. When I was told that one of the troupe was
my mother, and a person sparkling with jewels was pointed
out to me as that mother, I would not have exchanged my pa-
rentage for that of a duke. I could hardly refrain from throw-
ing myself into the ring, to assert, before the audience, my
claim to a portion of their applause, as the son of the person
they were so loudly cheering.

Our first meeting with our parents, after a five years' sepa-
ration, took place in my mother's dressing-room. She stifled
our expressions of wonder at her princely vocation, by mater-
nal caressess, more tender and repeated than gentle.

I spent about a year with my parents, and then went in
company with an uncle, who was also an equestrian, to Lon-
don. My uncle did not keep a very strict eye upon me, and I
spent my time in lounging about Deptford and wapping. Here
I formed an acquaintance with the sailors, and, at length, Cap-

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tain Salmon, of the ship Phoenix, took a fancy to me, and with-
out the knowledge or consent of any of my friends, I shipped
as cabin-boy on board his vessel.

A short time after I joined her at Deptford, she moved down
to Woolwich, to take in live freight ; being chartered by Gov-
ernment for the transportation of female convicts to Botany
Bay.

Here were two hundred *• ladies" — for so I suppose we are
bound to style them — put on board of ship for the purpose of
being conveyed many thousand miles from their native land,
and what was probably worse for them, obliged to labor honest-
ly for their bread. A few of them appeared to regret their
fate, and perhaps were about to leave sweethearts behind them.
But the majority appeared to revel in the prospect of a change
of scene, and doubtless, thought themselves peculiarly fortu-
nate in being able to take a voyage free of expense. If occa-
sionally a cloud would pass over their minds at the thought of
leaving dear friends behind, it was quickly dispelled by the
reflection that a re-union with those friends at Botany Bay
was more than probable.

After a passage of five months, we came within sight of the
rocky heads of Sydney Cove. Here was a meeting of friends ;
and, if on leaving the shores of old England, there had been
some tears dropped at the severing of attached hearts, they
were amply compensated by the joyous greetings which at-
tended our arrival at Botany Bay.

After lingering about this place awhile, I shipped in 1822,
on board a vessel called the Cape Packet, Capt. Dillon, bound
on a whaling cruise. She was a half-rigged brig, of between
one and two hundred tons, and was owned by a Mr. Haynes,
who had formerly been a convict.

At that time the Sydney whalers were almost the only ves-
sels that cruised to the north of New-Holland ; since then the
American and English whalers have made free with the levi-
athans that sport in those waters.

In the Cape Packet, seven of the hands were natives of the
South Sea Islands, called kanakas. We had been five months
on the ground and were taking the jacket from the last whale
necessary for completing our cargo, when a white squall came
frothing along the water, until the sea looked, as far as the eye
could reach, as if it was filled with white cats coming to take
our vessel by storm. As the squall struck us, we fell upon our
beam-ends. All was now confusion ; the vessel lay with her
keel out of water, struggling and working like a living thing
against the power of the elements. Another moment and the
topsail and jib went to tatters; her light spars snapped and

fell to leeward ; the first fury of the squall was over ; the re-
sistenceof our vessel to the wind was lessened, and she right-
ed quivering and trembling. A steadier gale, accompanied by
thunder and lightning, followed ; yet when we contrasted this
storm with the horrors of the white squall, we indulged a feel-
ing of security. This feeling was, however, but momentary,
for the appalling fact was almost immediately ascertained that,
racked and riven by the tempest, our vessel was rapidly filling.

Before rwe could clear the stern and quarter boats from the
davit tackles, their keels were in the water, and our utmost ex-
ertion was necessary to prevent their being swamped under the
davit heads. Each of the crew consulted his own safety. We
stripped the harness cask of its contents and shoved away from
alongside in haste, to escape the vortex which we supposed
would be caused by her singing. We might, however, have
been more deliberate, as even after she was water-logged, we
could, while daylight lasted, see the stun*ps of her masts.

In the boat with myself were five of the kanakas. We put
into the boat from the vessel, only some pork and beef from
the harness cask ; but every whale-boat is supplied with a
compass, a tinder-box, and a water keg, in addition to the ap-
paratus for destroying whales. The water keg, however, was
nearly empty, and the excitement of danger and escape pro-
duced such a thirst on the part of the kanakas, that they drank
ail the water before I felt an inclination to drink. This did
not vex me much as I believed we were only about fifty miles
from the land. We were, however, four days in reaching it,
and during that time, four of my kanaka companions died of
thirst and exhaustion. The surviving kanaka, proposed to eat
of the body of the last oiae that died. I shuddered with
disgust, and he gave over the idea. Even then we were in
sight of land, but so completely exhausted from' hunger, fa-
tigue, and want of sleep, that we could no longer make exer-
tion to reach it. My wrists were swollen and weak ; my feet
having been in the water at the bottom of the boat, were
shrivelled and raw. We resigned our boat to the mercy of the
waves, and were drifted on shore to a level sandy beach.
Hoasts of the natives, who had long discovered our boat as it
slowly drifted to the shore, waded out, took it by the head and
hauled it up. Some of them immediately stepped into it and
plundered it of every thing movable — oars, irons, lances, tubs,
&c. The reader may be curious to know why they did not
put off to us in their canoes ; but the aboriginees of ]New-Hol-
land have no canoes in which they venture upon the sea at ail
— as their boats are the rudest known, inefficient and clumsy,
like every thing else belonging to them. We were too weak to

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stand erect, and upon reaching the beach, sank in the sand.
We made earnest gestures for water, but they paid no attention
to our wants till they had stripped U3 of every article of cloth-
ing; then some water was brought us in calabashes, and some
of the flesh of the kangaroo and bandycoot. Refreshed by
these, we lay down to sleep under the native blanket — a wide
strip of bark doubled — and never before was sleep so delight-
ful or refreshing to me.

Eight or nine months spent among these savages, gave me
time to observe their habits ; for my ignorance of the country,
and the hindrance of the natives, so impeded my progress, that
it occupied all that time in travelling from the place where the
Cape Packet was wrecked, to Port Macquarrie.

At and about Port Macquarrie, and to the north of that set-
tlement, the aboriginees of New-Holland are probably more
savage and filthy in their habits, and less acquainted with any-
thing like art, than on any other part of the continent. In the
southern and western parts, the natives have something like
houses, but in nearly every other part of the country, bark shel-
ter answers every purpose, and under this they sleep, A large
fire is built at one end to keep away Poioyan, the devil, whose
power is recognized by all the tribes. Like many other sava-
ges, they think it more necessary to curry favor with their devil
than to worship the good spirit. "When a thunder storm comes
up, they prostrate themselves to the earth, and their shoutings
and howlings are intended for worship.

They are divided into small tribes, and in some few of theie,
hereditary chiefs hold sway; in others, might makes right, and
the strongest assert a rule per force. 'The connecting link be-
tween apes and men, they have generally less resemblance to
the African negro than the New-Zealander, and particularly,
when old, resemble the monkey more than other human beings
do. In stature, they are generally above the middle size, and
their bodies bear an apish proportion to their legs, those limbs
being shorter than a European, while the arms appear longer.
In complexion, they vary from copper colour to black ; the lat-
ter being generally the least ferocious race. Marriage is an in-
stitution hardly recognized, and often dissolved at will. Upon
the birth of twins, one is killed ; and white or mulatto children
of black mothers are butchered as soon as born, the husband
acting the executioner, and the mother consenting.

Cannibalism is a trait found more or less among the tribes on
all parts of the continent, but principally on the northern part.
I have seen parts of human bodies in the bags which the wo-
men carry on their backs ; and am convinced, from direct oral
accounts, in which I put credit, that even abandoned white

runaways, after a residence with the natives, learn to eat hu-
man flesh.

On my oveiland jaunt from the north coast to Port Mac-
quarrie, I encountered, with one tribe, two runaway convict
women, and with another a convict man. They had become
so utterly degraded, as to be scarce above the savages in their
habits ; wore next to no clothing, and fell into their indolent
and filthy mode of existence.

After remaining at Port Macquarrie about six weeks, I was
shipped to Sydney as a runaway convict. My story had the
less weight, because instances are not unfiequently of convicts
stumbling upon penal or other settlements in their wanderings,
and many could tell as good a story as mine, in every thing
but the slight circumstance of truth. Happy to find a convey-
ance back to Sydney, I embarked.

In or about the year 1826, I shipped in the barque John Bull,
whaler, Captain Backus. After we had been from Sydney
about four months, we put in at the Bay Islands, New- Zea-
land. Bishop Marsden, at that time on a visit to New-Zea-
land, from his residence at Paramatta, put on board of us a mis-
sionary who was appointed to Strong's Island, one of the Caro-
line Archipelago, with his wife and daughter. We wereto
cruise among the islands towards Japan, with the intention to
reach the shores of Japan at a particular season when whales were
supposed to frequent the sea of Japan. At eight months out,
we had taken about eight hundred barrels of oil, and were en-
deavoring to make Strong's Island to leave our passengers. At
nightfall we had made no land, but knew from observation and
the ship's log, that we were within a day's sail of our destina-
tion. We were bowling along under easy sail, the wind on our
quarter, when, at about eight o'clock in the evening, the ves-
sel struck on a concealed coral reef, which is not laid down in
the charts. Captain Backus was, as usual, drunk on the hen-
coop, when the vessel struck. The boats were lowered ; but
notwithstanding the necessary precipitation with which we
prepared to leave the vessel, the boat in which I escaped was
furnished with provisions and arms, and we were able also to
take away some amunition and little portable articles. In the
boat with myself were five seamen, and the wife and daughter
of the missionary. He was in the boat with the captain. In
the four boats the whole crew escaped from the vessel. For
five or six hours we kept together, but when the morning dawn-
ed, there was only one of the other boats discernable, and that
but faintly, a long distance a stern, as we crested a wave.
Even in a latitude, which must have been within fifteen de-
grees of the equator, anight passed without sleep or food, in an

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open boat, washed by a continual breaking of the sea over it,
chilled our frames ; we were faint, cold, weak, and dispirited.
But the sufferings of the ladies engrossed more of our care
than our own situation. As I sat steering, I folded the shiver-
ing sobbing daughter to my body with my left arm, while two
of my shipmates assisted in protecting her by placing them-
selves on each side. The mother was similiarly cared for by
other seamen. We tendered them parts of our clothing, but
could not persuade or induce them to accept anything of the
kind. The suffering of these women was indeed great ; but
in all their affliction they bore holy testimony to the efficacy of
that religion whose messengers they were ; their fortitude
might have put even some of their male associates in misfor-
tune to the blush. On shipboard, before our misfortune, the
discreet and feeling manner in which they strove to impress
upon rude sailors .the truths of religion, had convinced all of
their sincerity at least. In the boat we had more affecting
proof : they prayed frequently and fervently, and there were
none to scoff.

Broiling heat succeded the chills of night ; the wind abated,
flattened ; at noon we were becalmed, dying with heat and fa-
tigue upon a sea whose dead swell was as smooth as glass.
After two days and three nights' exposure, the daughter died
at about ten o'clock on the third day. For some hours before
she had been apparently unconscious of her situation. She
had talked in her wanderings, of her father, of her home, and
of the island to which she was destined on an errand of mercy.
The mother was by suffering so far bereft of sensibility, that
the death of her child hardly moved her. She scarcely ap-
peared to understand us when we informed her of it ; or, if she
did, the anouncement was received with delirious joy. With
as much attention to the forms of civilized society, as our sit-
uation would permit, we committed the body to the ocean.
The mother, in her weak state, hardly uttered a comment, and
n a few hours, followed her daughter.

Upon the next morning after performing these melancholy
duties, we made the land. We had been in the boat three
days and four nights • but, rejoiced as we were to make the
land, no immediate prospect of profitting by it appeared ; for it
was circled by a coral reef, in which it was past noon before
we discovered an opening. Effecting a passage, we entered a
smooth basin of water, and saw hundreds of canoes launching
and putting off to us. They would approach within a short
distance, then suddenly retreat, and at length commenced
showering stones, arrows, and other missiles upon us. We
threw ourselves in the bottom of the boat ; aud when they had

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satisfied themselves that we could or would offer no resistence,
they were emboldened to make a rush upon the boat, which
they towed to the beach. After we were landed they stripped
us of our clothing, and took every thing out of the boat — whale
irons, tubs, muskets, &c. The boat was then hauled up on
the beach, and our company, six in number, were led to the
canoe-house. Besides myself, they consisted of George Kee-
nan, an Irishman belonging to Dublin ; John Johnson, an En-
glishman; Edward Bradford, of Bristol ; John Thompson, of
Liverpool ; and John Williams, of London. Of the native
places of the two last named persons I am not positive.

We were seated in the centre of the canoe-house on mats ;
and yams, bread fruit, plaintains, bananas, fish, bits of cold
game, were brought to us. The building was filled in every
chink by natives, seated; the men with crossed legs like Turks,
and the women on their heels. A constant buzz of conversa-
tion ran through the assembly, each talking to his neighbour
and gesticulating violently. Parties of two or three would
come down to where we sat, walking with their bodies bent al-
most double. They took hold of our persons very familiarly,
women and men, and gave frequent clucks of admiration at
the blue veins which were marked through our skins, on parts
of the body which had not been usually exposed to be bronzed
by the sun. My companions feared the Indians were cannibals,
and that this examination was to discover whether we were in
good roasting case, — a horrible supposition,— which was
strengthened by the building of two or three wood fires cover-
ed with small stones. Their fear was so excessive that they
gave themselves up for lost ; but, as I had been somewhat ac-
quainted with the manners of the inhabitants of other islands,
1 reasoned, from the apparent good humor of these people, that
they intended us no harm.

In a sort of desperate feeling of recklessness, I determined to
try the experiment of dancing upon our savage audience. I
proposed it to my comrades, and they endeavored to reason me
out of what they esteemed criminal, thoughtless conduct, in
the view of a horrid death. The prospect was none of the
most agreeable certainly ; but I was determined on my experi-
ment despite their remonstrances. I accordingly sprung to my
feet, and took an attitude. A cluck of pleasure ran through
the savages, and one of them, readily understanding my inten-
tion, spread a mat for me. I struck into Garry Owen, and
figured away in that famous jig to the best of my ability and
agility ; and my new acquaintances were amazingly delighted
thereat. There was no loud acclamation, but anxious peering
and peeping over each other's shoulders, the universal cluck

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sounding all over the house. Before my dance was finished,
the cause for which the fires were built became apparent, to the
no small relief of my comrades. It was ascertained that the
roasting preparations were made, not for us, but for some quad-
rupeds, which we afterwards found were dogs. Other prepar-
ations were making for a feast, and after my dance was con-
cluded, each of us was surrounded by a group of natives who
could not sufficiently admire and examine us. The natives
continued to treat us with great hospitality and kindness.

Upon the fourth day after our landing, there was an arrival
of a fleet of canoes — the head and other chiefs. "We were
again inspected by the new comers, and it was my fortune to
be selected, with my shipmate George Keenan, by the princi-
pal chief. On the morrow my new friend — or master, or
owner — left the Island upon which we landed, taking with him
Keenan and myself. Eight or nine hours carried us to his
island, where new feasting and lionizing awaited us.

A grand feast celebrated the return of the chief to his house,
at which I repeated the Irish jig which had taken so well upon
my first landing. I have no doubt that in my heels was found
the attraction which led the chief to select me from among my
comrades, We had been about three days at our new residence,
when some of the natives began showing us their tattooed arms
and legs, and making signs not entirely intelligible to us at
first, though their meaning became afterwards too painfully
marked. On the fourth or fifth day, George Keenan and my-
self were put on board of a canoe with six natives. They
paddled a short distance along the shore of the island, and then
tumed into a creek wide at the mouth, but soon narrowing till
there was not room for two canoes abreast. It was completely
arched over with dependant branches of trees ; and altogether
the scene was romantic and would have been pleasing if we
had not been so utteily in the dark as to the purpose of the
journey. At length we reached a hut in which we were left
by our conductors. After we had waited there sometime, our
suspense was relieved by the entrance of five or six women,
hearing implements, the use of which we were soon taught.
George was made to set in one corner of the room, and I in the
other, half the women with me and the other half with my
companion. One of ray women produced a calabash of black
liquid ; another took my left hand, squeezing it in hers, so as
to draw the flesh tight across the back ; then a little sliver of
bamboo was dipped in the liquid and applied to my hand, upon
which it left a straight black mark. The third beauty then
produced a small flat piece of wood with thorns pierced through
one end ; this she dipped in the black liquid, then rested the

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points of the thorns on the mark on my hand, and with a sud-
den blow from a stick, drove the thorns into my flesh. One
needs must when the devil drives; so I summoned all my forti-
tude, set my teeth, and bore it like a martyr. Between every
blow my beauty dipped her thorns in the ink.

I was too much engaged in -my own agreeable employment
to watch my comrade, but George soon let me hear from him.
He swore and raved without any attention to rule ; the way he
did it was profane, but not syntaxical or rhetorical. He wished
all sorts of bloody murder to light on his tormentors; prayed
that the island might be sunk by an earthquake ; hoped forty
boats' crews from a squadron of aimed ships would land and
catch the blasted savages tormenting the king's subjects. All
this availed nothing but to amuse the women ; and even I
could not forbear a smile at his exclamations. The operators
suspended their work to mimic him, and mocked his spasmo-
dic twitches of the arms and horrid gestures. He wau a stand-
ing butt for it long afterwards, and when the natives wished to
revile him, they would act the tattooing scene, ending with the
exclamation, u Narlic-a-nutt mucha purk " — Narlic-a-nutt (his
name) is a coward ; "Jim Aroche ma coo mot" — Jim Chief
brave ! After my executioner had battered my hand awhile,
she wiped it with a sponge. I hoped she had finished ; but
no ! She held my hand up, squinted at the lines, as a carpen-
ter would true a board ; then she begun again, and this was
worse than the first job. When the women had done with
my hand, they rubbed it over with cocoa-nut oil and pulverized
charcoal. The women then left us, and we were permitted
to eat.

In the afternoon there came a fresh supply of ladies, who
continued tattooing operations on my left arm. On the next
morning my hand was puffed up into aldermanic proportions ;
but, after breakfast the ladies came to decorate us still farther.
George howled piteously and succeeded in begging off, but I
was informed that I could on no account be excused. Eight
days were occupied in tattooing the various parts of my corpora-
tion ; but, fortunately being a small man, the ground of opera-
tions was not so extensive as it would have been had 1 laid
claim to more inches. The hair on my body was twitched out
with sea-shells, -as dexterously as pin-feathers are substracted
from the flesh of a goose. It was a whole month before I re-
covered from the effects of this treatment, being anointed con-
tinually with oil and coal, which proved a sort of cosmetic not
very favorable to the delicacy of the skin.

To relieve our weariness, George made a flute of a reed, and
a fiddle of some light wood ; while I, on my part, had music in

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my sole. Our retirement proved tedious, notwithstanding all
that Zimmerman hath said on solitude. The parrots squawled
and the dogs howled at a distance, and the scene was romantic
enough ; but I was more given to dancing than sublime con-
templation.

We were heartily rejoiced wiien the canoe was manned to
carry us back to the war canoe-house. I came from the tattoo
hospital, a horse of a different color from that which I had
when I entered it, being tattooed on my left hand, on both
arms, legs, thighs, back and abdomen. George had escaped
with a few stripes on the left arm, and those were unfinished.
On our return a feast awaited us, and George fiddled and piped,
while I danced.

I had supposed that my tattooing was over, but now by the
Chief :s direction, one of his daughters prepared to mark me
still more. She tattooed a ring under myJright breast, another
under my left shoulder, and two about my right arm. This
was but the prick of a needle to the extensive printing business
which had been prosecuted upon my body at the tattoo-house,
and I made no complaint.

The feasting continued during the day ; many dogs barked
their last ; jagow in abundance was mauled to express its juice ;
and my comrade for his fife, and myself for my heels, were in
excellent odor with the natives. Singing and dancing with
feasting, and the arrival of distinguished strangers, lasted all
the second day ; and it was not until night, that I began to
suspect what it all tended to. At night I learned that the
young lady who imprinted the last marks upon my. arm and
breast, was my wife ! that last tattooing being part of the
marriage ceremony.

Upon the third morning my bride led me away to the bath,
and the day was spent in feasting and dancing. There was no
quarrelling or disturbance, no uproar or disorder. George also
was provided with a wife ; but his unwillingness to submit to
the process of tattooing, wedded him to a women of no rank —
she, however, proved a good women to him.

My father-in-law was Ahoundell-a-Nutt, Chief of the island
of Nutt, and the most powerful chief on tho group of islands
enclosed by the reef — set down on the charts as one island —
Ascension, but called by the natives Bonabee. I resided under
the same roof with him ; he gave me his own name, Ahoundel,
but I was more frequently called Jem-aroche. George Keenan's
island name was Narlic.

My wife was only about fourteen years of age — affection-
ate, faithful, and fond of baked dogs. During my residence
on the island she presented me with two little demi-savages, a

15

girl and boy — the latter of whom 6tands a chance, in his turn,
to succeed his grandfather in the government of the island.

My wife endeavored to instruct me in the language, and al-
though I was a tolerably apt scholar, yet my teacher had a
very critical ear, and the least deviation from the island pro-
nunciation, created vast merriment both for her and others
present. My wife accompanied me in my walks and in my
canoe excursions ; always at my side, and looking up to me as
affectionately as ever a novel-schooled miss could, and with
twice as much sincerity. My father-in-law, who was a practi-
cal joker, continued, in the excursions in which he accompa-
nied us during the lengthened honey-moon, to pop upon places
where he knew that the residents had never seen me. He
Would direct me to enter a house suddenly, with a howl, and
strike an attitude. It would invariably send all the occupants,
usually women, flying out at every place of egress. The sight
of Ahoundel on the outside, enjoying a hearty laugh, would
remove fear, and this rude method of introduction supplied
both parties, the visiters and the visited, with rare amusement.

To excursions without him, Ahoundel was very adverse.
He would, in answer to my inquiries about other islands, tell
me they were inhabited by cannibals, and assured me that if I
ventured away from him, I should certainly be eaten. George
and I, if we took excursions, did so in a canoe borrowed of
fishermen, because we could not launch our own unperceived.
Afraid of being eaten wre kept near the island, sailing round it
and paddling up the creeks. When we were near a settlement
George would take a fife and make its shrill notes echo in the
still valleys and mountains,— " Narlic ! Narlic ! ' Narlic ! Nar-
lic !"— we should soon hear the natives shouting, as they came
running down to the creek side, " Narlic, cudjong ! cudjong!"
Cudjong was the name which the natives had bestowed upon
George's fife. We would be invited on shore, and when in-
clined to dance I used to land and shake a leg for their edifi-
cation.

Accustomed to polygamy, the Carolinean woman sees noth-
ing shocking in the system of a pleurality of wives. It were
nonsense to assert that there is no jealousy and quarreling—
as it would be asserting a position contradicted by reason and
the nature of things. Even in christian countries we often see
that one wife is enough to quarrel with ; and it is not to be
imagined that Laowui (that was her name) and myself had
none of the disputes which appear incidental to conjugal life.

Upon one occasion, when 1 was sick, a journey was project-
ed, as was the usual course with invalids ; I however refused
to be cured in that way, preferring ease and quiet. All the

16

preparations having been made for the journey, it was taken
without me. I thought my wife might have had the grace to
remain at home with her sick spouse, but she chose to accom-
pany her father. Upon her return I had pretty well recovered,
and I welcomed her by taking my wedding gift — a few blue
beads— from her basket, and breaking them between two
stones, before her eyes. As soon as I had done the mischief,
Laowni ran from the house to a stone in the edge of the water,
where she set down and commenced crying like an infant. I
followed, and endeavored to pacify her, but it was of no use ;
the only answer she made was to kick like a spoiled child,
The tide followed in till she was in water to her elbows ; then
I was enabled to coax her away, but still she ceased not bel-
lowing for her beads. If I had bitten off her finger, it wTould
certainly have grieved her less. At night I went to sleep and
left her weeping. She had refused to eat, though fish and the
most delicate bits of roasted dog had been offered her. Hap-
pening, however, to awake at midnight, I detected her solacing
her grief with a dog's drum stick ; but in the morning I found
her still pouting. All day she wore the same sulks, giving
me an occasional look of any thing but affection, but without
saying a word. At night I took George with me, and instead
of sleeping in the canoe-house, wThich was then Ahoundel's
quarters, went to his house proper. There we built a small
fire for its light, and just as we had propounded to each other
the sage conclusion, that his Majesty of Nutt and family wTere
not in the best humor, we were surprised with a visit from that
dignitary himself, accompanied by a native — who was particu-
lary indebted to me for detecting him in stealing my knife —
and two others, all armed with spears. Without saying a
word they sat down at a little distance, biting their nether lips,
as is always the custom when vexed or in a pa3sion. I en-
quired the reason of their visit, but received no answer.
George shivered beside me like a leaf, though I assured him
he need fear nothing, as the visit was undoubtedly intended
solely for me. At length one agreeable state of suspense was
relieved by the appearance of Laowni, who beckoned them
outside, and we saw nothing more of them.

This adventure showed the danger of offending the daughter
of a man who could take my life with impunity, although
Ahoundel respected the courage with which I faced him — a
courage as much affected as real.

With these people, after George and I had become habituated
to their customs, and learned to appreciate their character, we
resigned ourselves to circumstances, and were content in the
absence of almost all hope of escape, to be happy. In about a

IT

year from oitr arrival, Ahoundel grew a little lees cautioua
about our wandering ; a forced remission of care, as we had
become too well acquainted with the people to believe them all
cannibals. Still he insisted upon our being frequently in his
company. The difficulty with Laowni* which I have men*
tioned, and my father-in-law's conduct on that occasion, in
which I suspected he was instigated by Namadow, left my situ-
ation not quite so pleasant as before* Ahoundel seemed dispos-
ed to repair bis harshness with over affection, and it was with
the utmost difficulty that George and I obtained permission to
leave Nutt for twenty-four hours.

Outside the reef which bounds Bonabee are two islands, one
called by the natives Hand, about twenty miles distant; the
other Pokeen, about sixty miles distant* The latter called on
the charts Wellington Island, is inhabited ; Hand is not. The
inhabitants of Wellington Island resemble those of Bonabee,
except that they are addicted to cannibalism, a practice which
is unknown on Bonabee, except, perhaps, so far as tasting an
enemy's heart goes. Hand is visited for its cocoanuts, which
are very abundant. Keenan and myself visited it once, and
found it bounded by a reef, through which there is but one
passage. Boche ie mere was deposited in large quantities upon
the sand at low tide. We were detained by a storm longer
than we bargained for, being tveather bound ten days.

Upon Wellington Island we remained nearly six months.
The language was essentially the same as at Bonabee ; the
customs, similar ; the three casts of people also existed there.
It is oftener visited by vessels than Bonabee, as the bits of
iron hoop, an officer's coat, and other articles in the possession
of the natives proved. Boche le mere and tortoise shell were
plentiful; the latter in possession of the islanders, and the
former neglected from an ignorance of the method and means
to cure it. The natives of Wellington Island are in the habit
of frequently visiting Bonabee, bringing presents of mats, fruits,
and other articles ; and it wag upon the return of a party from
Wellington that we visited their island. I did not believe, till
my visit, that the natives of Wellington Island were cannibals ;
then I had occular demonstration. It seemed with them an
ungovernable passion ; the victims being not only captives,
but presents to the chiefs from parents, who appeared to es-
teem the acceptance of their children, for a purpose so horrid,
an honor. Wellington Island laid down on the chart as one,
is in fact, three islands bound by a reef. One of them is in-
habited, and the other two are uninhabited spots, claimed by
different chiefs, as if to afford a pretext for war, and the gratifi-
cation of their horrible passion lor human flesh.

18

Shortly after our return from Pokeen or Wellington Island,
our four comrades, Johnson, Brayford, Thompson, and Wil-
liams, paid us a visit, as had been their occasional custom. The
reader may well imagine we enjoyed these opportunities to re-
vive old associations, and speculate upon the chances of our es-
cape from Bonabee.

Upon this occasion, our comrades proposed to George and
me, that we should leave Nutt, and spend a twelvemonth with
them, dividing the time with the different chiefs with whom
they were quartered, and devoting the first month to an excur-
sion from island to island. This proposition was eagerly em-
braced by us. I had frequently expressed to Ahoundel a wish
to the same effect, but he uniformly refused his consent. My
visit to Wellington Island was protracted, by the strength of
the north-east trades, much beyond his pleasure ; and, al-
though this was not my fault, that long absence had so proved
the necessity of my presence to him, that it made him averse
to my going from his sight : a fatherly solicitude that was
horribly annoying. Knowing therefore the certain answer to
an application for leave of absence, I determined to take liberty
without. What I fancied a good opportunity soon offered.
Ahoundel, and his whole household and connexions, launched
the canoe for an excursion or visit. I was excused from the
party on account of the presence of my friends, who declined
accompanying Ahoundel. When they were fairly off, we
stepped into the canoe, but had hardly got under weigh, when
a rascally nigurt, who had evidently been watching us, shoved
his canoe off and paddled before, us like lightning, shoving, or
rather poling his canoe over the shallows, and working like a
windmiller in a gale with his single paddle in the deep water.
When he reached a creek or inlet, into which we knew Ahoun-
del had turned, he shot up the opening, and we began to see
his intention, and the meaning of the hoohooing he had kept
up in preceding us. In a few moments we saw the canoes of
Ahoundel in pursuit : we used paddle and sail, and cracked
on, esteeming it more a frolic than anything else. As we had
the start, it was nearly two hours before they neared us enough
to be within hailing distance. They then commenced fair
promises if we would stop; offering us fish and bread-fruit, and
yams, and using all the logic of persuasion of which they
were capable. Still we cracked on ; but Ahoundel's canoe at
length shoved alongside of us, upon the weather or outrigger
side, and we gave up the race as useless. My friend Nama-
dow was the first to lay hold of the outrigger, and gave us the
first intimation of their rough intentions, by endeavouring to
capsize us. We bung to windward to trim the boat, and find-

19

ing his strength ineffectual to upset it, he had the brazen im-
pudence to climb on the platform with the intention to board
us. In the heat of the moment I administered a settler with
my first which knocked him into the water: then half a dozen
of the Indians laid hold of our outrigger at once, and thinking
it useless to struggle against such odds, we all jumped out of
the canoe. Others of Ahoundel's fleet had by this time gather-
ed around us. and the Indians commenced beating U3 with the
flat sides of the paddles whenever we showed our heads. Our
canoe was smashed to pieces, and my comrades were allowed
to climb into others in the fleet, without much beating ; indeed,
they were assisted in; but I did not fare so well. Ahoundel
made frequent feints with his spear, and so did others, but not
one was thrown, nor had any person any such mnrderous in-
tentions ; as I afterwards learned their orders was to frighten
and beat, but not to hurt : a consoling circumstance of which
I had not then the benefit, but considered myself a case. Du-
ring all this time my father-in-law was upraiding me with ray
ingratitude, reminding me of my rank, connexions, wife, and
the benefits he had heaped upon me. I protested my purpose
was only to make an excursion with the intention to return.
The paddle pounding had ceased after the first attack, and this
conversation was carried on, or rather his scolding, while I
was eyeing the spears and dodging in anticipation of the blows.
I made several attempts to climb into Ahoundel's canoe, but
my particular friend, who had by this time been fished out of
the water, rapped my fingers with his paddle as soon as they
clasped the gunwale. The fleet, which had received additions
from Nutt, of people who came out of curiosity, seeing the
fray, now turned towards Nutt again; and Jem Aroche, chief
as he was, was fain to crawl into the canoe of a nigurt and
return to the house of his father-in-law. My shipmates ac-
companied me, and Ahoundel satisfied that I should not repeat
my attempt to escape, proceeded on his excursion. No women
accompanied oiir pursuers, as they were set on shore before
the chase commenced.

Three or four days passed before Ahoundel and his party re-
turned. During that time I had ample opportunity for reflec-
tion, and acknowledged to myself that my punishment was
not altogether undeserved, as my treatment of my father had,
to say the least, been unhandsome.

When the party returned, Laowni immediately sought me
upon landing, as she heard vague rumors of my adventure, and
was not sure that I was killed. She was overjoyed to see me ;
rubbed her nose against mine in token of affection; threw her-
self upon my neck, and wept tears of joy at my safety. Ahoun-

20

del h'rrrelf made a sort of half apolcgy, and excused himself
by recapitulating the suspicious circumstances against me.
Laowni was clamorous in her complaints of my treatment,
and even appealed to her father by asking him how he would
like such usage if he was a stranger in London.

Laowni drew all the particulars of the attack from me, and
worked herself into such a rage with Isamadow, the friend
who struck my hand, that she ran up to him and struck him
with her codjic, or small wooden knife. It was a severe blow
that she dealt him, and he had no refuge but flight, being be-
low her in rank. The others who had assisted in abusing me,
thought it necessary to propitiate me with presents before they
ventured into the canoe-house. Ahouadel was much better
pleased with Laowni's attack upon Namadow than 1 was. He
ealltd her "brave" for it: not exactly to her face, but as any
father among us would rather commend than regret the pranks
of a 3poiled child ; for such was Laowni, his only daughter.

Our shipmates lengthened their visits some days after their
capture under the suspicious circumstances of running away
with George and me. Ahoundel had the justice to present
them with a new canoe ; the civility to invite them to prolong
their visit, and the delicacy to restore their property so s^on
after the explanation, that their visit could not seem a deten-
tion forced by the lack of means of escape.

After remaining restricted principally to Nutt for about two
years, George and I determined upon an excursion, cost what
it might. After an abortive attempt to get away in a borrowed
nigurt's canoe, we obtained a larger one and started. To
avoid suspicion it was borrowed, as launching one of my own
would have been attempted with a parade that would haveled
my honored father-in-law to suspect even more than was my
intention. I had taken the precaution to note on a plaintain
leaf the names of the other islands and their chiefs. Five or
six hours brought us to Chocoich, and upon nearing the chiefs
canoe-house, George struck upon his fife, flute, or cudjong, a
lively tune, while I kept the canoe in motion. When we
reached the landing a host of the natives, many of whom had
never before seen us, were ready to receive us. With Wajor,
the head chief, we remained one night, and were feasted and
entertained, A like reception we met at other islands which
we visited in sucession, occupying nearly a mopth in the trip
Possessed of the names of the chiefs, it was my custom upon
ascertaining the name of the island to enquire for its chief, to
whom I first paid my respects. George's flute and my looking-
glass were assurances of good reception, as their fame and ours
had preceded us.

21

Notwithstanding the representations of Ahoundel, that we
were in danger of being eaten if we ventured out his sight,
nothing but the most courteous treatment was received by us.
My tattooing, speaking my relationship to Ahoundel-a-Nutt,
was better than letters of introduction. We were frequently
accompanied from island to island, and nigurs were put into our
canoe to save us the labor of propelling it. During a month
thus most aoieeably spent we met all our shipmates. These
meetings were indeed the most pleasant part of the excursion,
as the reader will well imagine. My friends were much divert-
ed at the respect paid me on account of my tattooing; so far
was it carried that the natives often insisted upon my shipmates
sitting down, as a token of respect to Jem Aroche alias
Ahoundel-a-Nutt, alias James O'Connell.

But, the most wonderful adventure made during the excur-
sion, the relation of which will put my credit to a severer test
than any other fact detailed, was the discovery of a large un-
inhabited island ; upon which were stupendous ruins of a
character of architecture differing altogether from the present
style of the islanders, and of an extent truly astonishing. At
the extreme eastern extremity of the cluster is a large flat is-
land, which at high tides seems divided into thirty or forty small
ones by the water which rises and runs over it. It differs from
the other islands in its surface which is entirely level. There
are no rocks upon it which appear placed there by nature. Upon,
some parts of it fruit grows, ripens and decays unmolested ; as
the natives can by no persuasion be induced to gather or touch
it. My companions at the time of discovering this island,
were George and a Nigurt ; the latter having directed our at-
tention to it, promising us a surprise — and a surprise indeed it
proved. At a little distance the ruins appeared like some of
the fantastic heapings of nature, but upon a nearer approach,
George and myself were astonished at the evident traces of the
hand of man in their creation. The tide happened to be high,
our canoe was paddled into a narrow creek ; so narrow that in
places a canoe could hardly have passed us, while in others,
owing to the inequality of tbe ground, it swelled to a basin.
At the entrance we passed for many yards through two walls,
so near each other that, without changing the boat from side to
side, we could have touched either of them with a paddle.
They were about ten feet high ; in some places dilapidated, and
in others in very good preservation. Over the tops of the wall,
cocoanut trees, and occasionally a bread fruitspread their branch-
es, making a deep and refreshing shade. It was a deep soli-
tude, not a living thing, except a few birds being discernible.
At the first convenient landing, where the walls left the edge of

22

the creek, we landed ; but the poor Nigurt, who had seemed
struck dumb with fear, could not be induced to leave the boat.
The walls inclosed circular areas, into one of which we enter-
ed, but found nothing upon the inside but shrubs and trees.
Except the wall there was no perceptible trace of the footsteps
of man, no token that he had ever visited the spot. We ex-
amined the masonry, and found the walls composed of stones
varying in size from two to ten feet in length, and from one to
eight in breadth, carefully propped in the interstices and cracks
with smaller fragments. They were built of the blue stone
which abounds upon the inhabited islands and is, as before sta-
ted, of a slatose formation, and were evidently split and adapt-
ed for the purpose to which they were applied. In many
places the walls had so fallen that we climbed over them with
ease. Returning to our canoe we plied our Nigurt with ques-
tions ; but the only answer we obtained was " Animan !" He
could give no account of the origin of these piles, of their use,
or of their age. Himself satisfied that they were the work of
Animan, he desired no farther information, and dared make no
inspection, as he believed them the residence of spirits. We re-
turned to the island of Kitti, where we announced our intention
to inspect the ruins on the next morning. It was with difficul-
ty we got away from the islanders, who declared that our lives
would be forfeited to our temerity. Arriving a second time at
this deserted Venice of the Pacific, we prepared for a deliberate
survey. We paid several visits to these ruins, but could find no
hieroglyphics or other traces of literature. The walls had evi-
dently been built by a people dissimilar to the Indians on the
inhabited islands, and the latter persisted in declaring that they
were the work of spirits.

At length I began to tire of exploring and to long for home ;
for, strange as it may appear, my consort Laowni; savage
though she were by classification, made my island home quite
an attractive spot to me. Upon my return to Nutt, I found my
wife and father had learned my wanderings, by report from
the islands I had visited. Laowni was rejoiced to see me, and
Ahoundel pronounced George and me brave, for venturing as
we had among strangers. We soon had a chance to put this
recommendation to the test ; for we were informed that Wa-
jaica-Hoo had declared war against Ahoundel-a-Nutt, on ac-
count of my marriage. It appeared that Laowni was promised
to him previous to my arrival. The daughter never much af-
fected the match, as'Wajai was old and the husband already of
something like a dozen.

Ahoundel, after stating the cose, asked me if I was willing
to fight, and as I saw no honorable mode of escape, I consent-

23

ed ; but George showed the white feather and positively
refused. Preparations were immediately made to visit Hoo,
and "carry the war into Africa" by answering Wajai's chal-
lenge at his door. Natives to the number of about fifteen hun-
dred were mustered, from Nutt and the contiguous small
islands called Hans and Param. The order of sailing was
thus: Moonjobs (the highest rank) to the right or in the van ;
Jerejobs (the second rank) next, the Nigurts bringing up the
rear. Each canoe was furnished with smooth stones, which
were stowed in the bottom ; and each native was furnished
with a sling, a spear, a bow and arrows, and war club. The
day and place had been appointed with all the circumstance
of a duel; or rather of an ancient joust at arms, with the ex-
ception that there was no stipulation or limitation as to force
on either side ; each party bringing all the strength he could
muster. Wajai was prepared to receive us, though with an
inferior force: his canoes were ranged in the water, in front
of his settlement, and as soon as we were near enough to dis-
tinguish features, our chief Ahoundel, and Wajai, sprang simul-
taneously to their feet, upon the platforms of their canoes, and
flourishing their spears, set up a shout of defiance, the conches
blowing an accompaniment. The inferior chiefs upon both
sides then rose and joined in the cry, and the engagement
commenced with hurling the stones with slings. These stones
are seldom less than a pound in weight, and are thrown with
tremendous precision, the parties being from thirty to forty
yards apart. Several canoes were broken and sunk on both
sides, and many men killed. The stones exhausted, arrows
and spears followed, and the parties nearing each other, till the
battle was canoe to canoe, and hand to hand. Tho natives
would seize each other by the hair, and thrust with a small
wooden spear or lance, without barbs, and cut the flesh with
sharp shells. In the onset Wajai was killed by one of the
party id our canoe. A shout of joy on one side, and a mur-
mur of grief on the other, suspended the battle a moment ; but
it was soon renewed with unabated fierceness. At length we
forced a landing, and the vanquished or broken foe, failing to
prevent it, also sprung on shore, and disputed every inch of
ground, to the very dours of their houses. The land engage-
ment was fought with the jagged spear and war clubs. An
hour and a half of hard fighting brought us to the estate of
Wajai. The women had long before deserted the houses,
taking with them such of their effects as they conld convenient-
ly transport, and the men, fairly overpowered, fled to the inter-
ior. Our party plundered the houses of whatever moveablee
were left, set fire to them, and returning to the beach, broke up

24

the canoes of the foe ; and taking with us the spears, mats*
and other plunder, we returned to Nutt. We brought back
such of our own dead as we could find, and the body of Wajai
and other chiefs who fell upon the other side. The usual pre-
parations of jagow and dog venison were made, and the bodies
of Wajai and his chiefs were burned : but previously to the en-
ure consumption of the bodies by fire, the heart of Wajai wag
taken out, and presented to the chiefs on a large plaintain leaf.
When it was eaten or even tasted I cannot say, as I was not
present at the ceremony. The presumption, is however, that
eating the hearts of the chiefs killed in war, is a custom with
them.

It was in the early pajt of the month of November, 18S3,
that I discovered a vessel from Nutt: the first vessel that I am
positive of seeing while on the island of Bonabee. My com-
rades often said they saw vessels, and I frequently imagined
that I did, but none approached near enough for us to distin-
guish their class. • It was about sunrise in the morning when
I first discovered her, and I called up George immediately.
We ran to the top of the nearest hill, and anxiously watched
her, as well as the mist and occasional rain would permit, for
it was a dull morning. After we had satisfied ourselves that it
was a European or American vessel, we ran down to the chief
and informed him that there was a vessel in the offing, and that
we wished to board her. He was not half so much elated at
receiving the information ai we were in imparting it. He
eyed me some moments — " What !*' said he, " a ship !" Cho !
cho ! (no, no.) I repeated my assurance, and led him to the
hill. My wife and the whole household followed. George and
I bounded about for jo}T, skipping up the hill, as if our feet
could not serve us fast enough. The pace of our companions
offered something of a contrast : they were still incredulous,
and my wife and father were evidently hoping against the
truth of my discovery, as they saw in my joy anything but a
pleasant indication of my feelings respecting remaining on the
island. I pointed out the vessel, and showed them that it was
not a war- canoe. I repeated my request for a canoe, assuring
Ahoundel that I would make the vessel sit down, or come to an
anchor. At the canoe-house, whither Ahoundel, Laowni, my
children, and others followed me, Ahoundel granted his unwil-
ling consent that 1 should go off to the vessel, following it up
with questions, while Laowni anxiously watched the expres-
sion of my face for an answer. " Do you love your wife ? Your
children ? Do you love them much— very much ? Will you
certainly return V\ To all this I answered yes, yes ; and my
heart smites me now, as I recollect the gratified expression of

25

my wife's countenance upon receiving the assurance. Blunt
plain man that I am, I could hardly disguise my joy at the hope
of an escape, although at times, as I looked at Laowni and her
children, and the thought of Ahoundel's kindness intruded
itself, 1 could hardly conceal my grief at parting. A large
canoe was prepared to launch, but the tide was out. We were
obliged to wait for it two full hours ! Oh ! the impatience we
felt — the snail-like progress of time ! Knowing perfectly well,
had we been cool, the time of the tide, still we could not avoid
running down every ten minutes to look. Meanwhile I prepar-
ed a quantity of tortoise shell, yams, bread-fruit, and cocoanuts,
to take off to the captain. We watched the vessel — she tacked
and stood off — our hopes fell — she stood back again — we were
reassured. She hove too, and we were happy till we recollected
that we were tide-bound.

At length the tide served us to launch the canoe. Ahoundel
and Laowni accompanied me to the boat, the former reminding
me of my promise to bring him trinkets, the latter melancholy,
and half doubting that she should see me again. There was a
fleet of some dozen canoes beside mine. I was accompanied by
Keenan, a young chief, and two Nigurts. We went outside the
reef, and had neared the vessel so that we could distinguish the
men on her decks, when the Nigurt who had the steering-oar,
let the canGe get into the trough of the sea. There was a
tremendous sea on, and it was carelessness on my part to let
the paddle go out of my hand. We were swamped. As is
usual with the natives, we all jumped overboard ; two taking
the out-rigger side, and the others striving to bait the canoe.
There was, however, too much sea running and all endeavors to
bail the boat proved futile, while the tide and the swell were
drifting us towards the reef- A-fter imminent danger of drown-
ing, George and I reached the reef. On gaining the rocks, I
attached my mat to the pole of the outrigger and made signals
of distress ; but the men in the schooner, supposing us to be na-
tives, paid no sort of attention to it. We were two or three
hours on the reef before we were discovered by the natives, and
were taken off. One of our party — the Nigurt who remained
with the canoe — was drowned.

Upon reaching Nut, Ahoundel was astonished with the story
of our escape, coupled as it was with the loss of the Nigurt.
He was astonished that two white men should prove more for-
tunate swimmers than a native. At night the schooner stood
off, and in the morning she was not to be seen. At length I
saw a speck — it was the schooner ! A half hour more and the
tide was right. The vessel, standing in, was now distinctly
visible, and prepared with a fresh load of tortoise shell and pro-

26

visions, with George and twoNigurts, I set sail again! When
we reached the schooner she was hove to, with her boarding net-
tings up, and her men mustered, with boarding pikes and mus-
kets at hand. Two or three other canoes got alongside at the
same time that we did, and others Were coming off. We passed
uoder her stern, and read the words (i Spy, of Salem." She
was brig rigged forward, and schooner aft. Passing round to
her weather bow, I sung out, u shipmates ! throw us a rope's
end — will you .?" There was a bustles on deck, a buzz of sur-
prise, but no answer ; and in a moment I heard somebody ex-
claiming— " Captain, the natives on this island speak English."
The anxiety to get a peep at us through the boarding netting
was now redoubled fore and aft. One of the men, after much
hesitation, threw us a rope, and the captain came to the gang-
way and asked us on board, requesting us to keep the natives
in the canoe, which we did. The captain did us the honor to
ship the side-ladder for us, and George and I needed no second
invitation to come on deck; but, taking up the tortoise shell
with us, directed the natives to pass up the yams. To my first
question the captain answered that the name of the island was
Ascension, the group being laid down as one island on the
charts.

After some conversation with the captain, the schooner filled
away again, and we stood off, with a fleet of canoes in tow ;
dashing and splashing through the water, their outriggers foul
of each other, getting continually carried away.

, I undertook to pilot the Spy inside the reef, to an anchorage,
at Captain Knight's request. At four or five o'clock in the eve-
ding, she came to an anchor in the harbor of Matalaleme. By
the natives who went that night to Nutt, 1 sent Ahoundel a
large broad axe and an adz, and to Laowni I sent beads, red
kerchiefs, and other trinkets ; while George and I remained on
board, afraid to trnst ourselves ashore again.

Like all other cowards, Captain Knight was cruel, and aveng-
ed attempts at petty pilfering, by murdering the natives. In
consequence of this conduct we were soon compelled to leave
the islands. Fairly out of the harbor of Matalaleme, the de-
portment of Captain Knight materially changed toward us. In
about fourteen days we made Guam, one of the Marian Is-
lands, and here Captain Knight would have left us, but the
authorities would not permit it. After leaving Guam, I had some
altercation with Captain Knight. During the whole passage I
had been sick from a cold, exhaustion, fatigue and derangement
of my whole system, from the change of diet. I was lying one
night on the iieel of the bowsprit, when Captain Knigh ap-
proached and gave me a kick. tl What business have you here

27

asleep, sir ?H I pleaded my weakness and ill health, and he
collared me ; I returned his grasp with interest, when he freed
himself, and running aft procured a brace of pistols. He did
nothing but talk, however; but on our arrival at Mantilla, he
charged George and me with being runaway convicts from
New-Holland, mutineers, pirates, devils, witches, hobgoblins,
&c. &c. &c: Accordingly, we were put in chains, carried on
shore, and deposited in the calabozo.

Upon entering, we found ourselves in a sort of reception room,
more convenient for its purposes than genteel or elegantly fur-
nished. It was separated from the rest of the prison by an iron
grating, through which the friends of the prisoners conversed
with them. Through this grating we saw a large hall, tenant-
ed by prisoners, but were ourselves passed up a flight of stone
steps, communicating with the second story. Here, with Chi-
nese, Malays, Spaniards and Creoles, were we locked up.

Sailors, many of whom visited us, were in the frequent prac-
tice of making us small presents. With the money thus ob-
tained we sent and purchased bread and meat, but the eyes of
Argus were necessary to prevent verification of the proverb,
"many a slip 'twixt cup and lip." Even after our bit of meat
was in the pot with the rice, and we were superintending its
cooking, some dexterous Chinese thief would whip it out with
his chopsticks, if our eye strayed from it one moment. Each of
the prisoners is obliged to prepare his own food, in a portion of
the prison set apart for that purpose.

All sorts of ingenious modes of punishment were practised
upon the prisoners for misdeeds while there. It would almost
seem the Chinese ingenuity of torture, tempered by a little more
regard for humanity than the officers of his Celestial Majesty
possess. Stocks, confining the culprit in all sorts of positions,
many of which were as ludicrous as uncomfortable, clogs, irons,
and collars, and devices the description of which would tire,
were in continual exercise. Flogging was going on all day,
but the poor devils of Chinese came in for more than a propor-
tionate share of it, and the blows were laid on with more hearty
good will, as they were heretics.

^ We were not without amusement. George had brought his
violin and flute, of coarse, and I had not forgotten the exercise
of my heels. Then in the various assemblage there was ample
amusement in watching the different disposal of time, according
to character. The Chinese were most of them merchants, in a
small way, vending tobacco, betel, and other " notions," as a
Yankee would say; and there is no better word in the world.
Stock in trade was not wanting, while there was a chance to
exercise their ^expert fingers in tricks of sleight of hand. Others

would operate as barbers, tailors — they had a thousand re-
sources for busy idleness. Spanish blood showed itself in games
of chance — cards, draughts, dominoes; and the parties would
set as gravely and intently engaged as if they had been recrea-
ting in the palace of a grandee. An occasional industrious one
wove hats ; and cooking their pilau was the- periodical occupa-
tion of all hands.

We were never brought to trial, and I amused myself by writing"
letters to such English and American residents as I could hear
of. The American Consul and Mr. Sturgis — an American resi-
dent— visited us about a week after our committal, and to the
latter gentleman I am much indebted for his kindness.

I indulged in an occasional game of draughts with one of my
fellow-prisoners, a Spaniard. One day he tried to cheat me
and we quarelled. Asa punishment, I was ordered into the
lower prison, and George was moved with me. This apart-
ment sacred to the lowest rogues, was by no means so pleasant
as the upper one. Here I assumed the amusement of des-
patching letters ; continuing it until, one day, the deputy jail-
or came to me with orders to put me in close confinement. I
resisted, and in the scuffle was severely bruised, and my rig-
ging dismantled. In order to give me food for reflection, I
was seized down to a bench and beaten with cow-hides. Not
to fatigue the reader with a history of my sufferings and de-
privations in this prison, and the brutal conduct of the Ameri-
can Consul, I will say that no trial took place. I had been
imprisoned to satisfy the malice of Captain Knight, and it was
not pretended that any thing could be proved against me.
We left Mantilla in a Spanish vessel and went to Macoa.
From Macoa we were sent to Canton. From Canton we sail-
ed in the Elizabeth, Captain Rudkin, for Halifax, at which
port we arrived in September, 1335. We had a pleasant pas-
sage ; George's flute and fiddle enlivening the day watches,
and to complete the band. I manufactured a drum out of a half
barrel, by stretching a sheep skin over one head.

Arrived at Halifax, we found the cholera raging. Captain
Rudkin wished Keenan and myself to remain by the vessel,
but we had a mind to travel the United States, and therefore
declined. We set out on foot for St. John's, having put our
baggage on board a vessel bound thither. We arrived before
the vessel, and upon her arrival we went to the health office
for permission to take out our baggage.

?' Your baggage ! — where are you from ?"

"Halifax/'

" You are!'' (retreating,) c; and how did you get there ?"

"By land!"

29

u Stand back! back! — the cholera is raging there, and you
may have caught the infection !"

George, having been taken ill, was sent to the hospital on
suspicion. There I left him, shipped on board of an American
schooner, and arrived in New York in the fall of 1835.

Thus ends my narration. I have nothing further to say, only
I am at present in a Circus Company, and from what I have
seen in my multifarious wanderings over this wide world, I
think this company renders the greatest attraction and variety
in the United States, the performers being of the highest order,
gentlemanly in their deportment, and praiseworthy in their per-
formance.

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